Eagle of Saladin

Eagle of Saladin
1898 sketch from the original at the Cairo Citadel

The Eagle of Saladin is a symbol which is found on a number of emblems, coat of arms and flags of several Arab states.

In Arab nationalism, with the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, the eagle became the symbol of revolutionary Egypt, and was subsequently adopted by several other Arab states (the United Arab Republic, Iraq, Libya, the partially recognised State of Palestine, and Yemen).

The eagle as a symbol of Saladin is disputed by archaeologists. The symbol of an eagle was found on the west wall of the Cairo Citadel (constructed by Saladin), and so is assumed by many to be his personal symbol. There is, however, little proof to defend this.

As a heraldic symbol identified with Arab nationalism, the Eagle of Saladin was subsequently adopted as the coats of arms of Iraq and Palestine. It has previously been the coat of arms of Libya, but later replaced by the Hawk of Quraish. The Hawk of Quraish was itself abandoned after the First Libyan Civil War. The Eagle of Saladin was part of the coat of arms of South Yemen prior to that country's unification with North Yemen.

Current coats of arms

Historical coats of arms

Political party logos

See also

Sources

References

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